Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Major-General James Whylock, Colonel 2nd Commandant, Royal Marines

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 2 clasps, Off Rota 4 April 1808, Syria (James Whylock, Capt. R.M.) naming re-engraved, possibly a contemporary replacement medal, see note below; St. Jean d’Acre 1840, gold (Bt. Major James Whylock, Royal Marines. Acre Nov. 3rd 1840) nearly very fine (2) £1500-2000

James Whylock entered the Royal Marines as a 2nd Lieutenant on 25 April 1804, being promoted Lieutenant in March 1807, Captain in August 1827, Major in September 1840, Lieutenant-Colonel in December 1846, and to Colonel in November 1851. He had a long and distinguished career of active service which is recounted in some brevity in his Hart’s Army List entry, which reads: ‘Colonel Whylock served in Sir Robert Calder’s action off Ferrol; in boats cutting out from under batteries at Rota, 7 April 1808; commanded the Royal Marines landed from the Anglo-Sicilian Squadron to assist in the defence of the island of Capri when besieged by Gen. la Marque; at the capture of Leda from the harbour of Rovigno, 1 April 1809; at the attack and capture of a convoy under protection of a battery at Pessaro, 23 April; on 15th May at the attack on the town of Rota and destruction of seven vessels; on 8th September at the cutting out of La Pugliesse from the harbour at Barlatta.’

‘On 1st June, 1812, commanded a storming party in Isle Verte, near Toulon - enemy routed and a demi-lune battery destroyed. At the capture of the Island of Powza, 27 February 1813; at the cutting out of an armed vessel from under the batteries of Orbetello, 9 May; and 14 Oct. following, at the capture of seventeen vessels at Marinello, after destroying a battery which protected them; at the siege and capture of St Maria in March, and the siege and capture of Gerona in April 1814; commanded the Royal Marines at the storming and capture of Sidon, 26 Sept. 1840 (made Brevet Major), and was slightly wounded in the left arm; on 10th Oct. was in command of a supernumerary battalion when the city and garrison (2,000 men) of Beyrout surrendered; was senior officer of Marines at the bombardment and capture of St Jean d’Acre (Medal). He has received the War Medal with two Clasps.’

Note: What is believed to be Whylock’s officially impressed original issue, named ‘1st Lieut. R.M.’, was sold at auction by Debenham’s on 24 May 1901, and is now forms part of the famous Patiala Collection in India. The price of £15-10.0 that this medal fetched in 1901 would indicate that it was a genuine official issue.